Offline Payment Module for Cashless Vending via Mobile Intermediary
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional payment processing systems for vending machines and similar unattended retail units require a persistent network connection to facilitate cashless payments, which is not feasible in areas without internet access, limiting their functionality.
Innovation Solution
A mobile-device-to-machine payment processing system that enables cashless transactions over a non-persistent network connection using a mobile device as an intermediary, allowing for hands-free or manual 'swipe-to-pay' modes, and does not require a traditional persistent network connection at the payment accepting unit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a persistent network connection is required for cashless payments, then payment security and reliability are improved, but device complexity and infrastructure requirements worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary authorization by having the mobile device connect to the network beforehand to obtain authorization tokens and payment credentials. This preliminary action allows the actual transaction to occur offline, resolving the contradiction by maintaining security through pre-established authentication while eliminating the need for persistent network connections at the point of sale.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile device acts as an intermediary that bridges the network connection and the offline payment terminal. It stores payment credentials locally and communicates with the terminal via short-range wireless technology, thereby decoupling the network dependency from the payment terminal while maintaining security through the intermediary's authenticated session.
2Reliability
If a persistent network connection is implemented at the payment accepting unit, then transaction validation reliability is improved, but ease of operation and accessibility worsen
Solution Approach 1:
Transaction validation is performed in advance when the mobile device connects to the network, obtaining authorization tokens that are stored locally. This preliminary validation enables the payment terminal to verify transactions offline, improving accessibility to remote locations while maintaining transaction validation reliability through pre-authenticated credentials.
3Ease of operation
If offline transaction capability is enabled, then ease of operation in remote areas is improved, but payment security and authorization validation worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary authorization by obtaining cryptographic tokens and payment credentials through network connection before offline use. This pre-established authentication ensures that even though transactions occur offline in remote areas, payment security and authorization validation are maintained through the securely stored preliminary credentials.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile device serves as a secure intermediary that stores and manages payment credentials, acting as a trusted element between the network and the offline terminal. This intermediary approach enables remote operation while maintaining security through the intermediary's protected storage and verification of authorization tokens.
4Reliability
If traditional payment terminals with network connectivity are used, then payment processing reliability is improved, but device complexity and cost worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The network connectivity function is extracted from the payment terminal and relocated to the mobile device. The terminal is reduced to a simple offline verification device that only needs short-range wireless capability, while the complex network communication and authentication functions are performed by the user's mobile device, thereby reducing terminal complexity while maintaining payment processing reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile device acts as an intermediary that provides the network connectivity and complex payment processing functions, allowing the terminal to remain simple. The intermediary handles network communication, credential management, and authorization, enabling the terminal to operate offline with minimal hardware requirements while maintaining reliable payment processing.
Data Source
AI summary
This application discloses a payment module with one or more processors, memory, a short-range wireless transceiver configured to communicate with one or more mobile devices, and a first interface module configured to output to a control unit of the offline payment-operated machine one or more electrical pulses. The payment module receives a wireless request via the short-range wireless transceiver from a respective mobile device of the one or more mobile devices to initiate a cashless operation of the offline-payment operated machine. In response, the payment module causes the offline payment-operated machine to initiate the requested cashless operation by issuing a first number of electrical pulses to the control unit via the first interface module. Further, in response to the wireless request, the payment module sends operation information corresponding to the initiated operation of the offline payment-operated machine to the respective mobile device via the short-range wireless transceiver.